Shaykh C Hamzah Wald Maqbul shocked not only me, but also the barista when he ordered in fluent Uzbek at a coffee stand outside the Registan Square in Samarkand a few years ago. That’s when I knew we were in the best possible hands in Uzbekistan with Shaykh Hamzah leading our Muslim Legacy tour group. 

Shaykh Hamzah learned Uzbek while doing  a double major in Biochemistry and Near Eastern Languages and Civilizations at the University of Washington. While he initially intended to go to med school he was also drawn to his faith and was actively looking for a path to study Islam. 

During his undergrad years, the doors opened for him when he was able to do a combined independent study and study abroad trip to Mauritania. He was able to study with scholars in Mauritania and the UAE. He then went to study for four years in Pakistan at Jamia al Madaniya. 

Currently he works with Imam Ghazali Institute, teaching aqidah intensives across the country as well as organizing heritage trips to explore Muslim history in Turkey, Uzbekistan, Sicily and Bosnia. He also founded Ribat and teaches locally in the Chicago area. 

In this episode, he discusses the value of connecting with Muslim history and tradition in an immersive way, connecting with the layman as a scholar, and the importance of zuhd and detaching from one’s wealth.

His story intersects with many familiar names:

Murabit al-Hajj, Murabit Haddamin, Murabit Ahmad Fal, Mufti Abdul Wahid, Syed Nafees Hussaini, Mawlana Abdul Haleem Chishti, Dr. Imam Zijad Delic Delic; he has also worked closely with Shaykh Mohammed Amin Kholwadia's Darul Qasim College, Musa Sugapong, and HFSAA Midwest.

After over a year-long hiatus, I'm very excited to be posting this episode. Please note, it was recorded in May 2023.